Needle assemblies used for injections, extraction of blood and the like, from patients or animals include a syringe part with a detachable hypodermic needle on one end thereof and normally enclosed within a plastic sheath which frictionally engages the inner end of the needle assembly after the needle has been inserted into the sheath. Operators such as nurses, doctors, medical technicians, veterinary doctors, and radiological technicians often use disposable needle and syringe assemblies for various purposes during the treatment of patients. After use, the needle is with the sheath associated therewith prior to disposal.
This recapping process conventionally consists of holding the plastic sheath in one hand and the needle assembly in the other whereupon the operator endeavours to engage the extremely sharp extremity of the needle into the relatively small bore of the sheath. This often results in the operator missing the sheath altogether and whereby the sharp end of the needle penetrates the skin of the operator either on the fingers or hand thereof. With present day dangers of infection being transferred from the patient to the operator, it is desirable that some means be provided whereby such inadvertent puncturing is alleviated or prevented from occurring all together, and although the device is designed specifically for use with needle and syringe assemblies surrounded by a radiation shield, nevertheless it may be used with other types of needle and syringe assemblies.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a support and retainer for syringe and needle combinations comprising in combination:
an elongate stem having upper and lower ends, at least a portion of the stem adjacent the upper end being hollow;
a base secured to the lower end of the stem for supporting the stem in an upright position on a substantially flat, horizontal surface; and
a shield extending around the stem adjacent the upper end thereof.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a support for use with a syringe and needle combination in which said syringe and needle combination includes a syringe, a hypodermic needle detachably secured to one end of said syringe, a selectively detachable sheath for said needle and a radiation shield component, said radiation shield component including a rear cap and a front cap with a substantially cylindrical radiation shielding element therebetween, said front cap being centrally apertured, said central aperture being screw threaded to screw threadably receive the front end of the associated syringe, said support including:
an elongate stem with upper and lower ends, at least a portion of the stem adjacent the upper end being hollow;
a base secured to the lower end of the stem for supporting the stem in an upright position on a substantially flat, horizontal surface; and
a shield extending around the stem adjacent the upper end thereof.
The support can be engaged upon a flat surface such as a table whereon it is self supporting. The sheath is supported in the hollow upper end of the stem. The needle of the syringe and needle combination is then easily engaged within the sheath, utilizing only one hand thereby permitting the operator to use the other hand to support or attend to a patient. The capping apparatus can be used to support a needle and syringe combination which may be used upon one patient intermittently such as, for example, a dentist applying an anaesthetic at several locations within the mouth of the patient.
The configuration of the outer perimeter of the base and shield may be such that, if the device is rested horizontally upon a flat surface, it cannot roll or move from the location in which it is placed.